EC means business
Ludhiana, January 14
The Election Commission of India (ECI) is leaving no stone unturned to ensure free and fair elections in Punjab. In a decision of far-reaching consequences, the ECI, in its latest instructions, has directed the Principal Secretary, Home, Government of Punjab, to give magisterial powers to all sector officers (officers of the rank of XENs etc.) who are in charge of 10-15 booths.

Play by the rules or face music, warn observers
Ludhiana, January 14
The 13 poll observers drawn from across various states have warned the candidates that they should not indulge in “allurement” (of voters) or lawlessness as it would not be tolerated.

Man thrashed to death
Ludhiana, January 14
Consuming liquor to celebrate Lohri led to brawls in various parts of the city and resulted in the death of a man in Bholla Colony near the Tajpur road here last night.

High drama at Shaheed Sukhdev’s ancestral house at Naughara
Ludhiana, January 14
High drama was witnessed at Shaheed Sukhdev Thapar’s ancestral house at Naughara Mohalla in the old city area after the police and employees of the district administration came to take the possession of the house here this morning. However, they returned empty-handed after they found the martyr’s house locked.

Police officials and residents gather around martyr Sukhdev Thapar’s house in Ludhiana
on Saturday. A Tribune photograph

Warning letter doesn’t scare rebels
Ludhiana, January 14
Rebel Congress councillors, who are against the candidature of Surinder Dawar from the Ludhiana Central constituency, seem to be “unaffected” by the warning letter sent by the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president, Capt Amarinder Singh, today, appealing those who had filed their nomination papers against the official party candidates to withdraw in the interest
of the party.

Constituency Watch: SAMRALA
No solution to sewage disposal
Samrala, January 14
As the state Assembly elections are just round the corner, hectic political activity is going on in this small town located on the Ludhiana-Chandigarh Road. Former Congress MLA Amrik Singh Dhillon is pitted against Jathedar Kirpal Singh
Khirnia, father of sitting Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) MLA Jagjiwan Singh
Khirnia.

Garbage dumped in a pond at Samrala. Photo: Inderjeet Verma

Womenfolk demand parks, women’s club
Samrala, January 14
The womenfolk of Samrala town want well maintained parks, a women club, helpline for women in the police department and cleanliness. They say that they will vote for that particular candidate who agrees to fulfil all these demands.

Women voters will vote only for those who will fulfill their demands. A Tribune photograph

The 151-year-old building of Sahnewal police station being demolished in Ludhiana on Saturday. Photo by writer

Donating blood for thalassaemic kids
Ludhiana, January 14
The Arora Khatri Welfare Organisation (AKWO) under the Bhai Ghaniyaji Mission organised a voluntary blood donation camp on the occasion of “Maghi” in association with the Salaam Zindagi Foundation at Kings Spades Resort, Dugri Road. At the camp, 65 units of blood was donated.

Four-day training for faculty concludes
Mandi Gobindgarh, January 14
A four-day faculty development programme on training methodology “Training the Trainers” was organised at the
RIMT- Management Campus, which concluded on Friday.

Small pleasures

A woman roasts peanuts in the traditional way at Jagraon on a chilly Saturday morning. Tribune photo: Himanshu Mahajan

from schools
SDP School welcomes alumnus
Ludhiana: Alumnus SK Goel, chairman, Central Board of Excise and Customs-cum-Special Secretary to Government of India, visited SDP School today. , Jasveer Singh
Chauhan, principal, read the annual report of the school. Student took guidance from Goel regarding their future plans, problems existing in the society, India's progress at the international level. Feeling nostalgic about the school days, he expressed his satisfaction on the progress made by the school. He also encouraged the students to study well sothat they could be valuable and successful citizens.

from colleges
Lohri celebrated with zeal
Ludhiana: The director, principal, staff and students of GNN College, Doraha, celebrated Lohri on Saturday. Director Jaswant Singh Gill spoke on the historical significance of Lohri while Principal Dr Narinder
Singh Sidhu said that Lohri of girls should be celebrated with as much enthusiasm as that of the boys as they were lagging behind in no field today.

Two arrested with 60 cartons of liquor
Ludhiana, January 14
The police nabbed two persons and seized 60 cartons of illicit liquor from their possession. The accused have been identified as Paramjit Singh and Satpal Singh of Salem
Tabri. The duo was nabbed from a police check post near Shamshan Ghat area near Chander Nagar Puli last night.

The accused with seized liquor in police custody in Ludhiana. A Tribune photograph